Warsaw likes drinking from up high, but even so pickings remain slim – regardless, the headcount has been upped, and that’s thanks to the recent unveiling of Ether, the not-so-secret ace card belonging to the NYX Hotel.

Having first worked out how the lifts work, floor 19 will be your destination – at first, expect confusion to rein. With no clear signs to mark the way, lift doors open to dispatch guests into what could be mistaken for a service workers stairwell.

“Am I in the right place,” are the first words that come to mind – sentiments that are closely rivalled by: “Am I about to walk into the janitor’s closet?”

In order: yes you are and no you’re not. Heading out of a what looks suspiciously like an emergency door, find yourself on a wooden deck that instantly impresses.

Find yourself right up next to the Varso Tower – a skyscraper that likes to pretend it’s the tallest in the EU (and it is, if you count the transmitter) – and that stands so close you can almost reach out and touch it.

Peering out from behind, the Palace of Culture looks tiddly in comparison.

True, there are downers. First off, there’s a lack of table service (at least on our visit), which means joining a queue whilst the two barmen fix the cocktail of your choice – cocktails are not something that are magicked up in five seconds flat, so waiting times can drag on if there’s a few people present.

Worse, without table service, it’s down to you to bring your drink to your table. Now I like drinking cocktails, but I can’t bloody well carry the things – not without spilling a third of the contents onto the floor down below. With the drinks starting at PLN 45 for a cocktail, that’s clearly a pricey error.

Expect seats also to be snapped up fast, though for us the biggest irritants are the lack of smoking section and the absence of a toilet – for the nearest one, head back to Floor No. 1.

However, these annoyances are minor and are offset by what you receive in return. Importantly, the cocktails justify the rather steep prices, but most of all the view is something you would pay for.

Positioned so you catch the best of Warsaw’s peachy sunsets falling over the Central Business District, watching the night slide in can be an almost empowering experience.

Simply beautiful to admire, this is a rooftop that feels truly something special – and with temperatures in the coming week set to hit Gas Mark Five, there won’t be many better places in which to enjoy the weather with a glass of something tall and fizzy.

ETHER

Chmielna 71 (NYX Hotel)

(Words & Photos: AW)